In My Heart and My Mind
by rerhaine21
Summary: "You all may not been for me physically, but you were all still there for me, in my heart and my mind," Luffy finished softly. "So, thank you very much, everyone."


_**Disclaimer: **I don't own One Piece. :)_

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_**In My Heart and My Mind**_

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"So, what it is you want to talk about?" Luffy asked bluntly. His crew were all gathered in front of him.

"Usopp, you start." Nami told to the Sniper, Usopp.

"Oh, why me? You were the one who wants to talk to him." Usopp exclaimed before he turned toward the swordsman.

"Zoro!" Zoro lifted his head who is sitting beside Luffy by the mast.

"What? Just out with it." He slumped his head once again.

"You shitty marimo." Sanji made a moved to stand when he heard the angelic voice of his Robin-chan.

"Luffy, they want to talk about what happened two years ago." Robin started coolly.

All the crewmembers turn to look at her . All mixtures of surprise, horror and admiration, even Zoro who was pretending to sleep lifted his head to look at Robin, it is only Luffy who wasn't surprise at all by the statement.

"What about it?" He asked innocently while eating his bento that was obviously prepared by Sanji. Sanji's cooking improved once again.

There was a complete silence. They all sighed when there's no one made a moved to talk after a minute had passed.

Chopper opened his mouth to talk when Luffy interrupted him. He put down his bento and lift his tankard to drink.

"We just want to say sorry, weren't there when it happened, Luffy-san." Brook finally said quietly while playing his violin.

"Yeah, Luffy, we should have been there when it happened. I should have been there to treat your wounds." Chopper said tearfully.

"What you talking about? " Luffy said in confusion.

"But it's true. You were always there when we need you. But when the time it's you need us, we weren't there for you when Ace..." Nami trailed off after saying the name of Luffy's brother. They met Ace when they visit Alabasta to help Vivi her country. The Strawhats that time all saw how Luffy think the world out Ace.

"Yeah, Luffy," Franky said tearfully.

"Stop, guys." Luffy said in his unusual serious voice of his. They all lift their head when they heard his voice. "What's wrong with all of you? You were there for me. All of you."

"No, we're not." They all chorused together, even Zoro who was finally stopped pretending to sleep.

"Guys..." Luffy started.

"I should have been there to sing you a song you ease your heart..." It's Brook.

"I should have been..." Franky started, barely holding back his tears. And so on it went.

They all start giving a reason why they should have been there for Luffy that at the end that it became a contest. The only person who was quiet were Robin and Zoro. But even though they don't speak about it out loud, Luffy knew that they also blaming themselves.

"Guys..." Luffy started again, but they barely heard him.

"Guys!" Luffy's loud voice interrupted their self-regret. They all shut up. They turned to look at Luffy who a had a soft smile on his face.

"You were all there for me." He lifts his hand when they made a move to open their mouth again.

"They Ace had died..." Luffy trailed off. "I felt like my entire world shattered, I never felt so alone, so lonely, so unloved." The Strawhats saw the faraway look in their captain's eyes. "When I thought I have nothing, it is Jinbe who made me finally realized that its all lie," Luffy then looked each of them, and that moment they felt like that Luffy were hugging them, they never felt so loved, so secured. And Luffy leaned back so his shoulder were touching Zoro's.

"It's all a lie because when Jinbe said, 'You can't get back you have lost. Remember what you still have.' That's when I remember all of you." Luffy continued to look at them with that same gaze. "I remember all the time we have fun together, all the tears, all the laughed, all the hardships, all the loved you made me feel and slowly but surely the darkness in my heart dissipated. You all may not been for me physically, but you were all still there for me, in my heart and my mind," Luffy finished softly. "So, everyone, thank you very much."

And he went back to eating as if nothing happened.

The Strawhats were left momentarily speechless. Then Chopper, Franky, Usopp, Nami, and Brook burst into tears.

"Ow, man." Franky tried to speak through his tears.

"Well..." Sanji muttered slowly as he smokes his cigarette. "I didn't see that one coming."

Robin softly chuckled with tears in her eyes while Zoro leaned back to the mast with a soft smile on his face.

Luffy may not know it, but they all felt comforted and the guilt in their heart's ease. And as they gazed at their precious captain, they made a silent vow that they may not be there when he really needed them physically, but to these days to come, they all promised that he is never going to be alone _ever_ again.

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_~Owari~_

A/N: My first fanfic. Sorry if there's a wrong grammar. Suggestion and comment accepted. ;)


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